Joanne Heeren, 90 of Akron, SD, passed away on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at the Akron Care Center in Akron, Iowa.

Funeral Service will be 3:00 p.m., Sunday, June 5, 2022 at Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Akron. Burial will be at a later date at Riverside Cemetery in Akron. Visitation with the family present will be from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may be expressed to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com .

Audrey 'Joanne' Stoel was born on February 19, 1932 to Paul and Mildred (Gabel) Stoel in Sioux City, Iowa. She was raised in Akron and graduated from Akron High School in 1950. After graduation, she attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion for one year and then attended Wayne State College for one year. She then taught for a short time at Garland School in South Dakota.

Joanne was united in marriage to Kervyn Heeren on June 8, 1952 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Akron, Iowa. Joanne stayed with her family while Kervyn served in the military and was stationed in Germany. After he was honorably discharged, they moved to the farm in 1954. Joanne was a long time member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Akron where she played the organ for many years. Joanne primarily stayed home and raised their two son, Greg and David, but she kept busy by making multiple meals a day for the farmers. She was a wonderful cook and she made the best chocolate cake! Joanne also often made wedding, birthday, and graduation cakes for family and friends. Joanne was a talented seamstress; she made and mended many clothing items for family as well as many other sewing projects. She enjoyed teaching piano lessons, golfing, fishing, and playing pinochle and bridge. Joanne was also very tech savvy and was able to use her computer for many different purposes.  Joanne was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

Joanne loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was always putting their needs first – babysitting whenever she could and teaching them about many things.

Joanne is survived by her husband of 70 years, Kervyn; sons: Greg (Lori) Heeren and David (Kerry Jo) Heeren, both of rural Akron, SD; 4 granddaughters and 7 great grandchildren: Tricia (Heath Dumas) Heeren and their children Wyatt and Layne Dumas, Angela (Josh) Rembe and their children Aiden and Ethan Rembe, Crystal Moeller and her children Aubri, Braxton, and Everett, and Desiree Heeren; sister, Evonne DeVinny of Rochester, MN; sister in law, Marilyn Heeren; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Joanne is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Mildred Stoel; parents in law, Wesley and Marie Heeren; and infant son, Jeffrey Kervyn Heeren.